Picture display frame



K. ARANOFF PICTURE DISPLAY FRAME Filed Mayl l, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 14, 1947. K. ARANOFF 2,428,772

PICTURE DISPLAY FRAME .Filed May 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a foldable frame structure made of thin sheet material such a stiff paper, cut, scored and folded to provide a recessed frame structure of the display type for containing pictures and presenting them in an attractive holder.

An important object of the invention is to provide a display frame structure formed of a single piece or a plurality of pieces having a front framed opening and a curved back to produce a shadow box effect.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display frame structure composed of foldable sheet material .with a fiat front having an opening therein and a curved back spaced from the opening, closed at the top of the structure and at the top and bottom of the front opening to simulate a dioramic box setting.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display frame structure composed of light weight sheet material scored and folded to form a shallow stage with a fiat front and a curved .back having a front opening with the top and bottom of the stage closed to the rounded back and with closed side portions, to resemble a small stage.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a foldable display frame constructed of flat sheet material cut and scored so that it may be folded and connected to enclose a. picture in a miniature stage structure having a front opening, a curved back on which the picture is mounted and inwardly extending portions to form a top and bottom for the stage and for the top of the display itself, the inwardly extending portions holding the back portions in distended display position.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display frame structure composed of flat sheet material which may be folded, connected and distended to provide a miniature stage-like structure having the rear edge cut away and provided with a foldable easel adapting the entire structure to be supported in upright position or at an angle.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display frame structure made of cut, scored and foldable sheet-like material which may be shipped or stored in flat condition to occupy a minimum of space but is adapted to be easily and readily set up to form the display frame desired.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a display frame structure in accordance with this invention in setup or display position;

Fig. 21s a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig.1 in a vertically'up-right position;

Fig. 3 illustrates the same structure in rearwardly inclined position;

Fig. 4 shows a sheet blank of which the structure shown in Fig. 1 is composed;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66. of Fig, 1;

Fig. '7 illustrates a modified form of display frame similar to that of Fig. 1 but composed of.

two pieces; 7

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8. of Fig. 7;

Fip. 9 shows a sheet :blank of the front plate of Fig. 7;

Fig, 10 shows a sheet blank of the back struc- I ture of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional View taken on the line lll| of Fig. '7.

This frame structure is designed and intended to be constructed of rather stiff paper or thin cardboard having an outer colored face or design and adapted to enclose a picture such as a photograph on the front surface of the back plate which is then folded with respect to a display opening in the front plate so that it appears at the back of the display within an enclosed frame and thus giving a shadow box effect. A pleasing and finished effect is given to the structure by a top folding flap and by upper and lower flaps folded at the top and bottom of the stage respectively and by a side wing structure which closes the stage at the sides.

. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the display shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is constructed of a single blank of sheet material which is cut and scored to provide a front frame IS with a frame opening IS, a back plate ll hinged at one side thereof, a cover flap l8 hinged at the top of the frame and a fastening flap H3 at the other side of the frame. In the back plate are a number of upper and lower slits 20 each having angular extensions 2| at the ends to provide resilient tongues in the slits, the opposite upper and lower ones extending toward each other. These tongues define a picture plane against which the upper and lower edges of a picture such as a. photograph 22 may be engaged and thereby held in place, or posted in the space thus defined.

Near the top of the back plate is a similar fastening slit 23 and at the free edge of the back plate are fastening slits 24 having angular extensions 25 at the ends to form resilient tongues in the slits. Projecting from the outer edge of thefastening flap I!) are overhanging or hooked tongues 26 adapted to be inserted in the slits 24 and moved endwise therein to engage the hooked portions at the ends of the slits for connecting the back plate in folded relation to the front' frame, andthe back plate'being somewhat longer than the front frame so that there is looseiiess to permit the tongue and slot connection to be made 7 between the parts.

projections 3| adapted to be inserted in the slits 20 of the back plate, to distend and hold the back plate rearwardly in a rounded or curved position and to close the space at. the top and bottom of the opening between the front frame and the back plate. A picture 22 positioned by the edges of the tongues formed by slits 20 and extensions 2| is notdisturbed by the insertion of projections 30 and 3|, and a picture may be applied or inserted in this space against the back plate before or after the display is erected, and freely removed, the picture being additionally held in place by the arc or curvature of the back plate. At the top of the front frame the cover flap I8 is foldable rearwardly upon a hinge line 32 to extend over the rearwardly bowed back plate and the outer edge 33 of the flap is curved to conform to the curvature of the back plate.

Extending from the central portion of the cover flap is a holding projection 34 preferably in the form of an arrowhead so that the point may be easily inserted through the fastening slit 23 of theback plate and with pointed side extensions :35 for engaging with the slit to hold the flap in the closed position.

At the bottom of the back plate is a curved zshallow recess 36 with a central easel lug-'31 ex- ;tending in line with the bottom of front frame 1.5 so that the display structure when set up may .be supported in upright position by the lug as :shown in Fig.2, or it may be bent inwardly or outwardly as shown in Fig. 3 to support the display in a slightly-inclined position, or the lug .may be partially bent at an intermediate angle to support the display at an intermediate in- .clined position.

Instead of making this display entirely of one piece, a two piece structure as shown in Figs. 7

ito 11 may beprovided having a front frame'piece '40 and a back frame piece 4| which are connected l'by hooked tongues 42 at the ends of the back :frame piece adapted to engage in slits 43 ex- :tending through flaps :44 hinged to theends of :the front frame piece. In the front frame piece fis an opening having distending flaps 45 and hinged to the top and bottom respectively of :the opening and each with a central projection 47,;forming tongues for engaging in slits 48 and 43atthe top andbottom respectively of the picitureplane of the back frame piece to which a picture 15!] maybe secured. Narrow wing pieces .are'hinged at the sides of the front frame opening and turned inwardlytherein.

Each end flap 44 has fold lines 52 and 53 beyond thefastening slits 43, adapting it to be folded inwardly from the rear of the structure at the sides of the front frame opening to -partially close the sides of the miniature stagethus presented, and the extremity of the edge flap which is foldable on the hinge line.153.being inclined inwardly away from thetstage opening and this folded portion being met by th'eside wing 5I at each side of the opening to. further decorate the front frame opening and to'further. resemble therside wings of a, stage when the .displayisset .up

t the, top- -and bottomgofithe'frontiframe, piece 7 4 40 are stiffening flaps 54 and 55 hinged on fold lines 55 and 51 respectively and adapted to be turned inwardly at the respective inner edges of the front frame piece to engage the inwardly turned extremities of the side flaps .44 thus stiifening and strengthening the front frame piece and holding it in place with respect to the other portions of the display. The top flap 54 may be extended over the back frame piece and secured thereto as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 if desired thus presenting a neater and more finished appearthe picture plane either before orafter the display is set up, the picture being retained in place by the resilience and engagement of the parts or ifrdesired the picture may be applied to the picture plane before the display is set up in distended or display position. A picture or other subject matter such as an advertisement ora calendar may be printed up n the picture plane and therefore visible through the front frame 7 opening. It is also contemplated that the front ,may be ,a separate frame piece as of plastic, metal and the like to which the remaining structure may be joined as shown and described. Although the easel is not shown in the modified formit may be formed in the lower edge of the back frame piece as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. 7

By constructing this display frame of light sheet material it may thus be made simple, inex-q pensive, easily set up and pictures readily changed therein so that it is adapted as an advertising I, display piecehaving a wide use and application.

Various other changes may bemade'in'the con-. struction, combination and arrangementof the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A display frame having an apertured front plate, a back plate, tongue and slit means for connecting the backplate and the front plate, the back plate also having slits defining a picture plane approximately the size of the front .aper, ture, hinged flapsatthe top and bottom of the aperture with rounded .outer free edges having. spaced projections to .engage in the slits of the back plate tozhold the front plate inthe :plane of the opening and curving the back plate with respect theret and acover-fiap hinged at the top of the front plate curved at its outer edge to extend over the top of the back plate and havto'con nect the ends of the back plate to theends of the front plate, and -distending-fiaps' hinged to the front plate and movable rearwardly to 'distend and hold theback plate in distendedrelation with respect to the-front'platathe easelelug hold ing the display in upright or rearwardly inclined position.

IKENNETH ARANOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date Wiedersheim May 3, 1910 Nfumber 

